Google Responds To Microsoft’s "Gotcha": They’re Diverting Attention

I'm glad Google finally just came out and said it, rather than trying to say, what they said previously, which was that MS and Apple were trying to keep the patents from them. A tip for Google, the truth works better, even if it requires a few more sentences to tell it.<p>On the actual merits though, Google seems to be completely lost in the world of IP tactics. They should have worked to remove all of these patents off the table as cheaply as possible. The available cash that MS+Apple simply dwarfs what Google has. Head to head, if MS+Apple want the patents they'll win them. Trying to win them outright as defensive patents was a stupid attempt.<p>The fact that their current IP strategy seems to be to buy IP is absurd. Google really needs to start producing significant IP in the mobile space. Their current IP strategy is naive, and likely costly. The fact that they didn't think about this three years ago, when Jobs was on stage talking about patenting everything, up and down, is a firing offense, IMO.

Here's the response to this response :) <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/04/gentlemen-take-this-outside/" rel="nofollow">http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/04/gentlemen-take-this-outside...</a><p>On an unrelated note, this is a very different kind of MSFT PR, and almost completely brought about by Frank Shaw. In the old days, MSFT would have put out a boring press release filled with corporate speak. Frank has brought a real-time, plain-speak, slightly aggressive approach to dealing with crises like this one and the earlier Bing/Google toolbar spat. Interesting shift in PR strategy.

<i>The Nortel patent purse had over 6,000 patents, but InterDigital has over 8,800. If the winning bid on Nortel was $4.5 billion, InterDigital should be well north of $5 billion.</i><p>Not quite sure where this logic comes from. Surely they're only valuable if they're relevant and strategically useful?

&#62;The Nortel patent purse had over 6,000 patents, but InterDigital has over 8,800. If the winning bid on Nortel was $4.5 billion, InterDigital should be well north of $5 billion.<p>That's $5BB that won't be used to create new products and technologies. It's $5BB that won't be used to hire new employees, and it's $5BB taken out of the pockets of shareholders. At least taxes go back into the economy. They might as well throw the money in a pile and set it alight.

I'm getting really sick of MG's sensationalist writing. He's the reason I've unsubscribed from TC.

Can someone translate this? What exactly is google arguing in their response to MS?<p>It sounded to me that google's response was that they didn't partner because then they could not keep those patents <i>just</i> to themselves. Somehow I feel I'm misunderstanding it? That sounds too dumb of a response to be accurate.

Offtopic: What movie is that screenshot from? ( <a href="http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/f1.jpeg?w=288" rel="nofollow">http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/f1.jpeg?...</a> )

Wait wait wait wait.<p><i>A joint acquisition of the Novell patents that gave all parties a license would have eliminated any protection these patents could offer to Android against attacks from Microsoft and its bidding partners.</i><p>Having the license to the patent means you get to use the patented technology--no one can come after you. That's the protection, you get to use it. This is bullshit, Google didn't decline the offer because it didn't give them protection, they declined the offer because it didn't give them an ability use those patents against Microsoft.

Folks, the longer this goes on more startups lose.. TC should know better than to get involved in one-upmanship that hurts startups..<p>Whose startup among HN readers can afford patent lawsuits say if either MSFT or Google come knocking?<p>So where is the coverage of how dismal the current patent reform legislation at TC?